Page:Elementary Chinese - San Tzu Ching (1900).djvu/120

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empire known as modern Kiangsu, over which 孫權 Sun Ch'üan ruled as first Emperor.


224. fought for the sovereignty of the Hans.
Chêng1 han4 ting3
Contend han tripod


Chêng see line 214.

Han see line 214.

Ting is a picture of a bronze vessel with three legs and two handles, used for burning incense. It is here figuratively employed, just as throne is often used in English.


225. They were called the Three Kingdoms,
Hao4 san1 kuo2
Name three kingdom


Hao see line 137.

San see title.

Kuo see line 155. [The period covered by these rival Kingdoms was only about 45 years in all, yet it is one of the most famous in Chinese history and is the subject of a widely-known historical romance, based upon the tragedies enacted while the empire was thus torn by civil war.]


226. and existed until the Two Chin dynasties.
Ch'i3 liang3 chin4
Reach two chin


Ch'i is composed of the walking radical with 乞 ch'i to beg as phonetic. It is also read hsi3, and commonly means until. [Eitel has "Followed by the reigns of the Two Tsin" but there is no authority for such a rendering.]

Liang is composed of 一 i one, with an obsolete word meaning again as both radical and phonetic; i.e. one taken again = two.